Logging Legislation Questioned

Environmental groups warn that HR 1526 would return Western forests to the days of clear-cutting to bring in money for counties – an approach they say is short-sighted.

Credit Chandra LeGue

This week, a big package of legislation known as the "Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act" is in the House Rules Committee in Congress. Passing HR 1526 is a Republican priority, and the bill includes strategies to increase logging on public lands and suspend federal environmental protections to allow it. But, as Chris Thomas reports, opponents of the measure point to several likely unintended consequences if it goes forward.